Sunday, October 14, 2007

So, It's 0-5, Then?

by Greg

Allow me to change course once again and proclaim myself "alarmed" with your 2007-2008 Atlanta Thrashers. I was planning to go to Saturday night's game with New Jersey, but in the end, blew it off (hockey has failed in the South!) and watched from the comfort of my couch. All things considered, the right decision.

I got engrossed with cooking dinner and drinking a bottle of wine, and so got into it a bit late -- turned it on during a phone conversation with my Mom, which went something like this:

I should have just turned it off there. Instead, I got my hopes raised by the first decent period they've played all year, made mouth farts as the announcers talked about the need to "play a full 60 minutes" (perhaps the most inane thing a hockey commentator can say?), then watched in sorrow as the Thrashers, indeed, didn't play a full 60 minutes. God, that sucked.

This isn't a case of a team getting a few bad breaks. Kari Lehtonen was considerably less than spectacular last night, but he wasn't helped by his defense's complete inability to clear out the front of the net. The third period is just an ugly haze of red wine, Devils surrounding Lehtonen, and shattered dreams.

There's also not much to be scared of offensively, especially with Hossa out. Kovalchuk, ok. Slava Kozlov and Todd White aren't doing much. The kids are yet to accomplish much.

The double-barreled rumors are getting going -- will Hossa be traded? (if so, the Thrashers are in contention for whoever goes #1 next year) and will Hartley be fired? (wasn't his fault that the team's glaring needs weren't addressed, but they should be doing better than this regardless.) I know, I know, it's early yet, but this is shaping up to be a long year.

I'm not sure why Hartley has stayed this long, since he seemingly has done a poor job of coaching the Thrashees. Kovalchuk and Kozlov have failed to do anything in the defensive zone, and when I watch the Thrashers, I just get the feeling that they are asking to be scored on.

It's time to stop blaming injuries (not that you have too much) and start getting results.

1) Wayne hit the nail on the head, Don Waddell's job should be onm the line this season. If they don't make the playoffs or fall out of the race early he deserves the axe!2) Of course Bob Hartley will feel the heat first.